Nicole’s e-Pistle

February 12, 2025

Hello, friends!

These days, our house is a representation of the season that we are in – smack dab between Christmas and Easter. In fact, we have yet to take down our Christmas decorations on the inside of our house, but we have Valentine’s Day magnets adorning our garage door and “Hoppy Easter” pillows on our couch! Apart from evidence of my housekeeping abilities, our décor is a sign of the life and joy that surrounds raising young children as busy parents.

Last week, all four of us got dressed up to attend the Family Valentine’s Dance at Layfe’s school. Parents and younger siblings were invited to participate, and those with pre-purchased tickets were able to enjoy ice cream together in the cafeteria in addition to showing off our moves in the gym. The girls all had such pretty (and frilly) dresses on, and the boys looked spiffy in their button-up shirts. My favorite part was watching the dads dancing with their daughters (or in Lovinia’s case, helping her bounce really high like Tigger) and watching the boys try to avoid dancing with their Mommas! It was a great evening.

Valentine’s Day is not just for kids having parties and dances at school, nor is it just for teenagers’ first dates or newlywed couples out on the town. Valentine’s Day is a time to remember the power of love and friendship. It’s another excuse to make time for the things and people that bring you joy. I hope you will take some time this week to cultivate your relationships with those who matter most to you. Go out to lunch together. Have a cup of coffee at a kitchen table. Take a walk together. Check in with each other over the phone. Then, as you think of how much this person means to you, imagine how much more your Creator loves you!

In a couple of weeks, we will be entering the season of Lent. We will be having confirmation classes for our middle school students, and I plan to have a New Member class for adults who are considering joining our congregation. We will have another Selvidge Street Forum on The Great Gatsby. We will continue to embody our motto of loving first and loving all in our community (keep grabbing those blessing bags as needed). While the news and social media feeds are filled with plenty of ways to worry about what’s in store for 2025, I continue to see the amazing ways our faith family brings joy and hope to others.

Keep living and loving, friends, and Happy Valentine’s Day!